Automatic tape cut-off



May 17, 1932 J. F. PORTER ET Al; 'I 1,859,155

AUTOMATI C TAPE CUT OFF Filed May 8, 1951 2 sheets-sheet 1 Aff/1111111111A gnou/tots J. F'. PORTER G. MARX May 17, 1932. J. F. PCRTER ET AL 1,859,165

AUTOMATIC TAPE CUT-OFF Filed may 8, 1931 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented May17, 1932 STATES vJ'AlVIES-I1`."I"0RTER OFYONKERS, AND GEORGE MARX,OFNE'W YORK,N. Y., AS'SIGNORS j TO THE'WESTERN UN'ION TELEGRAPHCOMPANY,`OF NEW YORK, N. .A CORFEORA- :TION OF NEW 'YORK4Application-led May l8, 1931. Serial No. 536,002.

This invention relatesv t alprinting telegraphmachineand moreparticularly toV mechanism lfor performing auxiliary functionsassociated With the operation-.ofthe 5 machine.

.'In the normaloperation of tape printing telegraph machines inWhichzthe messages iare receivedupon a'gummedvtape, the re- Vceiving loperator, `in addition to applying the printedand gummed tape tothetelegraph blanks, has a-number of other duties to per-`formfandconsequently, Vat ti-mes a considerable length offprinte'dtape-may accumulate before lthe Voperator has anfopportunity to 'applyAthe tapetothe blanks. This causes an fappreciablelag in the-'passage ofthe message through the ofce. `\7hile-this delay lisa-not su'i'icientto'become o'f-importancewith regard "tothe usualfrun of messages," itbecomes -so 'in the `case oan `urgent or rush message Iwhich should begiven preference at each Astage i inits transit through the oice.

p lAccordingly, itis one of the objects of the Ipresent invention `toprovide mechanism as- `sociatedwith a telegra-ph printer forexpedit ingthe handling of such rush -orflash messages and to eliminate unnecessary-delay'in 'the application of'- such messagestol the telegram blanksL`for further-routing of the mes- 80 `sage throughv the otlice. Y YAnother object is to-indicateto the rece1ving operator when ta messageis being received which should talepref-erence over previously Areceivedmessages.

Another and more specific object is toprovvide atelegraph printer AwhichWill respond toa predetermined code lcombinationof impulses, 'to severthe tape orto markit for severance immediately preceding yand/crim- 40mediately following the vprinted flash message so as toproduce thespecial orprefer- `encemessageupon an individual length of tape readyfor immediate application to the telegram blanks.

It Will be obvious to those familiar with the operation-ottapeprintingtelegraph machines that it is notfeasibleto cut the tap-e at theprinting 'position but that it must be advanced beyond 'the printingposition an appreciable-distance sol as to free-it from the platenl andother printing mechanism, .before the severing isaccomplished. i

yIn the particular machine disclosed inthe accompanying drawings, it wasfoundxadvisable'to Space the cutting mechanism a disi5 vtancecorresponding .to about fourteen-letter spaces, `beyond theprintingposi-tion, tofenable -the cutting'mechanism to be operatedv Withoutinterference. Consequently, 1 ifk the :cutting device isfcontrolledbyfalspecial codesignal cb transmitted immediatelyrbefore fthe ."irstvcharacter of the flashi message, lit is `necessary to delay the actualseverance of the tape until the last character of the precedingmessagehas been advanced past' the cuttingposition. 65 Accordingly,zanothertofthe obj ects-xofnthe invention is to provide a counting ortiming `mechanism, responding to la predetermined code combination ofimpulses, vvlichserv-esto operate the severing mechanism `only when 'Pl)Athe tape has been advanced'a'deiinite number of letter spaces past theprinting position after, the receipt of such. code combination.

.More broadly statedyitiis an` object of 'the invention to provide, inai printing telegraph@l5 machine, mechanism the operation of'whi'ch -isinitiated by a code signal :but thecomplete functioning of which isdelayed until after-a substantial 'number t of subsequent `printingcycles have been completed.

1 Other objects 'andadvantages of 'the invention Will appearfromthe'following'delscriptionand the 'appended claims.

ln accordance with the preferred embodiment of our `invention We providea cutting Q mechanism disposed in thefpath `of travel of the tape andspaced from the printingposition a distance correspondingto the numberof letter spaces. A countingfor control 'device is larranged to besetinto oper-ation only inresponse to -a predeterminedfcode signal,

so as to be advanced' over ia. predetermined path, jstep-by-step, as.each succeeding chfaracter code combination is received. 'Thefcon- ,ltrol device servestooperate the cutting mechi anism, When'the tapehas'fbeen advanced kpast the printing position sulliciently to -bringthe character printedtimmediately before'the' re'- ception ofsaidspecial code signahpastl-the M .cutting point.I TheJ operation `of thecutting m0 Vis to be understood that the operation may be entirelymechanical and we contemplate such obvious modifications as come withinthe scope ofthe appended claims. y

In order that the invention may be fully understood reference will nowbe had-to lthe accompanying drawings in which;

Figure 1 isa side elevation, partly in section, of a multiplex printingtelegraph machine embodying the present inv-ention Figure 2 is asectional view, substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showingaportion of the counting mechanism and the circuits completed thereby;

Figure 31is asectional view on the line 3-'3 of Figure 1.

Yso

`.telegraph practice.

' 'Figure 4; is a sectional View on the line of Figuregl. Figurev is aplan-view of the principal operating parts of the machine, associatedwith --the tape feed, countingy and severing mechanism f Figure 6 is afront elevation of the cutting mechanism in its relation to the printingposi- 1tion of the machine;

, Figure 7 is a detail of the cutting members and Y Figure'8 is a detailshowing the means for v Vshifting the platen to the upper case position.

.machine with which the preferred-embodi- The particular type oftelegraph printing ment of thepresent invention has been shown, is knownas' multiplex printer 21-A, extensivelyused by The VVestern'UnionTelegraph Company and well known to those versed in Therefore, ltheprinter .has-not been illustrated in detail but only the essentialworking parts necessary foran understanding of the invention have beenshown.

`In this type of printer the printing is done `on a narrow gummed tapewhich as it emerges .from the machine, is moistened and applied i to a`message blank. The printing is effected by type bars selected by aseries of five selector 5,5

bars Vcontrolled by individual selecting magf nets. These magnets areelectrically connect- 'edtofthereceivingsegments on the multiplexdistributor so as to receive the code impulses ,.insuccession. v, l

y,The .selecting magnets are located transversely across the top of themachine, one'only being'shown andA indicated'at'lO. The five .selectorbars 11, which are controlled by the selecting magnets,are disposed oneabove the '65 other, an individual selecting magnetibeing vlatter in`its forward position.

provided for each selector bar. The selector bars are notched on theirfront edge and are moved longitudinally, in different combinations, tobring a single vertical row of notches into alignment. Normally, all ofthe selector bars areheld in their extreme right hand position. hfountedto the rear of the'selector bars is a slidable selector carriage l2which is parallel and of substantially the same length as the selectorbars. The selector carriage carries selector bar pawls 13, an.individual one of which is provided for each selector bar, under thecontrol of one of the five selecting magnets. vFlach ofthe selectorbars, opposite its individual pawl, is provided on its rear side with anotch 14 into whichthe pawl is moved by its selecting magnet. Each pawlas it moves into its notch 14 is lockedtherein by an individual latch15. i

When a selecting magnet receives an impulse from its distributorsegment, its-armature is attracted and the lowerv end thereof strikesthe rear edge` of the corresponding selector bar pawl 13 and rotates itaroundits pivot point, thus causing it to enter the notch 14 of itsselector bar, whereupon the latch 15 drops into the rear of the pawl andlocks the The operation of any selector magnet closes the circuit for arelay, not shown, for completing the circuit from one of the segments ofthe multiplex distributor, not shown, to the selector carriage'magnet16.- After the complete code combination has been received, the magnet-16 operates and through its armature shifts the selector carriage tothe left, causing all of the forward pawls, through engagement'in thenotches of their respective selector bars, to shift the latter to theleft. Vhen the cho-sen selector bars have been moved sufficiently, rfivenotches, one in each bar, will have been lined up to the rear o f onelof the selected pull bars17. As the selector carriage approaches thelimit of itsmotioii to the left, it closes contacts, not shown, whichcompletes a circ-uit to the printing solenoidV 18.` Thereupon theprinting solenoid pulls down its plunger 19 and through a rock arm 2Oconnected to the upper end thereof, it rocks the transverse printingshaft 21, thus raising the printing bail 22 and roller 28 upward in anarc. The roller 23 and bail 22 extend back of the pull bars, one ,ofwhich is provided for each type bar. As the roller moves upwardly, itasses off ofthe enlargement l24; of the pul bar and permits the selectedpull bar to drop into the previously ,aligned slots of the :selectorbars. Continued upward movelment of the printing bail 22 causes thefrontedge ofthe bail to engage inthe notch 25, of

yzontal bar 26, tothe corresponding type bar 27, thus causing it torotate about the type .bar Vfulcrum 28 so-as to strike downwardlyagainst theplaten 29 to effect printing.

As the type bars move down, the fiat portions 31 thereof strike the rimof an arcuate universal, bar 32, depressing it through ymechanism to bedescribed, effecting the fortion upon de-energization of the magnet 16,

to condition the same so as to respond to the succeeding codecombination. i

Pivoted at the front of the printer and eX- tending tothe rear thereofis a lever 33, which is connected to one side of the universal bar 32 bya coiled spring 34. This lever at its free end rests on a spacing beam35, pivoted about the platen shaft 36. This beam has its left endattached to a spacer connecting link 37, operated by the printing shaft21 and on its right hand it carries a spacing pawl 38 held in engagementwith a ratchet Wheel 39,

by means of a coiled spring 41.

When the universal bar is depressed, it carries the spacing beam lever33 down with it, the spacing beam moving in the slotted Aend 42 of thelink 37. This rotates the spacing beam through a small arc so that thepawl, at its outer end moves up and engages a new tooth on the spacingratchet 39.

Upon the completion of printing, the revturn or upward st-roke of thesolenoid plunger 19 imparts to the spacing link 37, an upward movement,thus rotating the spacing beam and ratchet the distance of one tooth.The ratchet 39 is rigidly secured to the platen shaft 36, thus rotatingthe platen the distance of one character.

The tape upon which theprinting is done, passes through guides 43 andthence across the upper face of the platen 29, between the platen and aknurled pressure roller 40 driven from the platen shaft by gears 44 and45. Rotation of the platen shaft thereforev feeds the tape forward oneletter space to bring a new portion of the tape into printing position.

All of the mechanism so far described is the standard construction ofthe printer, and alone, forms no part of the present invention.

To the left of the platen there is arranged a cutting mechanism for thetape comprising a blade 46 which slides vertically in a frame 47 havingan aperture 48 through which the tapepasses. The blade is normally heldupwardV away from the tape by a spring 49` and is=moved downwardly tosever the t-ape by a solenoid 51. The solenoid plunger 52is connected tothe blade by means of a pin 52 engaged in horizontal slot 53, formed inthe upper end of the plunger. The frame -47 and platen 29 are carriedupon the supporting framework 50 of the platen, so as to move forwardlyor rearwardly with the platen, as

theV platen is shifted tozprint eitherupper or lower case characters. 1

The platen shifting is effected by Ya special code combination whichselects a predetermined or shift pull bar. The lower end of thev uppercase shift pull bar54 is shown in Figures 4 and 7 and is provided with acurved heel portion 55, adapted to engage a roller 5.6 carried upon theright end of a crossarm 57, thus shifting the crossarm forwardly, by.cam action, as the pull bar is raised. The crossarm has a forwardextension 58 to which-the platen frame 50 is rigidly secured, so as tomove the platen mechanismforwardly. A detent lever 59 engages theroller56 in both itsforward and rear positions to lock the l'aio same ineither shifted position. `The platen 29 is shifted in the oppositedirection by another pull bar 61, the forward side of which engages aroller 62, carried bv the opposite end of the crossarm 57 ,from theroller 56.

The counting or control mechanism for effecting the operation ofthecutting device, is mounted upon across plate 65 carried at the rearof the machine and includes a stub shaft 66 which passes loosely throughthefplate 65 and on its forward end carries a disk`67 having hubportions 68 and 69d. rAlso mounted V upon the shaft 66 is a second disk71 provided with an annular series of perforations 72. The disk 67 isheld against rotation by apin 73 extending outwardly from the plate 65through an aperture in the rim of the disk 67. Thel disk 71 is looselymounted for rotation relative to the disk 67 and is connected Atheretothrough a spiral spring`7 4, anchored spring 76 contained between thedisk 67 and Athe plate 65. A washer 77v and a retaining nut 78 completethe assembly. 1

The disks 67 and 71 are normally held in a rearward position against thecompression of the spring 76 by a latch r7 9 which extends in front ofthe plate 67;V The'latch 79 is pivoted to the plate 65, at 81 and has atail portion 82 which maybe engaged by a finger r83 carried by a link 84(Figl) under prescribed conditions as will presently appear.

The link 84 is pivoted to the end of a horizontal lever 85, which inturn is pivoted at 86 to the frame of the solenoid18. The forward end 87of the lever 85 extends over a lug 88 carried by one of the pull bars17, preferably a pullbar associated with a type bar which carries nocharacter* in the upper case position. The lower end of the link 84extends forwardly at 89 and is secured to the crossarm ter or precedinga flash message, a combinasevering device.

lever 85 is rocked, forcing the link 84 down-A ward and tripping thelatch 79. Thereupon,

the Adisks 67 and 71 are moved forward by the spring 76, bringing theplate 71 into engagement with a pin 91, extending horizontally from therear face of the ratchet wheel 39. The perforations 72 correspond to theangular positions assumed by the platen shaft 436 so that in whateverangular position this shaft may be one of the apertures 72 will bepositioned opposite the end of the pinr91 and will'beentered by the pin,thereby locking the platen shaft and the disk 71 together.

At this time the end of the latch 79 will rest upon the periphery of thedisk 67.

Upon the transmission of subsequent printing signals andthe consequentvrotation of the platen shaft to advance the tape, the disk 71 will becarriedaround, stepV-by-step, with the platen. VThe disk 71 is providedwith a pair of radial extensions 92 and 93, the former of which, yin thenormal or release position of the disk, is held against a stop pin 94,by means of the spiral spring `7 4. Upon engagement of the disk 71 withthe pin 91, the radial extension 92 is rotated counter' ,clockwise `withthe platen shaft until it engages the contacts 95 to close the same.This occurs after the tape has been advanced from the printing positionat the top of the `platen into position beneath the blade 46 of the lUpon closing of the contacts v95 a circuit is completed from thenegative side of the supply main through the contacts 95 and winding ofthe solenoid 51 of the cutting device, to the positive side of thesupply main. The solenoid 51 is thereby Y energized to sever the tapeand upon the downward movement of its plunger, to close a pair ofcontacts 96, thus completing a second circuit from the negative side ofthe line, magnet 97, contacts 96 and the winding 98 of a relay 99, tothe positive side of the line. The relay V99V thereupon closes itscontacts .completing a locking circuit through the manual key 101,armature and front contact Y 102 of the relay and a signal lamp 103.

`The magnet 97 has an armature 104 (Fig. 5) pivoted at 105, the free endof which is forked and extends around the shaft 66 be-V tween the plate65 and the head 106 of the shaft. Upon energization of the magnetfollowing the cutting operation, the shaft 66 is drawn rearwardly by thearmature of the magnet, compressing the spring 76 and alrlowing thelatch 79 to drop in ahead of the nssaies plate 67, Vthereby locking thecounting device free of the pin 91. Upon release of the disk 71 from thepin 91, the disk rotates to its original position with the lug 92against the stop pin 94, thereby opening the contacts 95 anddeenergizing the solenoid 51, which in turn opens its contacts 96,deenergizing the magnet 97; The relay 99, however, remains locked up andthe signal lamp 103 operated until it is manually released by theattendant operating the key or switch 101. The system is now in acondition to respond to a subsequent 'cutting signal which may beVtransmitted immediately following the last*W character of the flash orrush message.

rlhe lug 93 is provided as a precautionary means in case the solenoid 51is not operated for any reason upon the closing of the contacts 95. Itis spaced relative to a pair ofh `contacts 107 so that normally it doesnotcome into engagement therewith. However, if the system is notrestored to normal by the sequence of ope-rations following the closingof contacts V further rotation of the disk 171m will bring the extension93 into engagement with the contactsV 107, thereby closing the sameandrcompleting a circuit from the negative battery through the restoringmagnet 97, contact 107 and positive battery, thereby a withdrawing thedisk 71 from the pin 91 and -95 allowing the system to restore tonormal. It will be understood, of course, in this latter event that thesevering operation does not take place.

` It is to be understood that the 'countingi or control mechanism is notrestricted to `the operation of atape cutting device but `may beemployed for effecting other operations whereit is desired to delay suchoperations for a predetermined number of signals after the transmissionof thecontrol signals. For instance, it may be desired to operate a timestamp following the completion of the transmission of each message, thestamp being disposed to one side of the printing position. j It is to beunderstood therefore, that we are not limited to the eXact details ofconstruction shown and described but contemplate all modificationsthereof and all usesF of the invention that fall within the scope of theappended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a telegraph printing machine,a tape feed mechanism, meansresponsive to .groups` of code impulsesr for operating said tape feedmechanism, a tape severing device, a normally inoperative countingdevice, means responding to a group of code impulses for rendering saidcounting device operative and means for advancing said counting deviceone step for each subsequent group of code impulses received, saidcounting device after it has been advanced a predeterminedA number ofsteps, causing the actuation of. said tape'severing device. f Y

v 2. YIn a telegraph printing machine, a tape feed mechanism, meansresponsive to groups of code impulses for operating said tape feedmechanism, a tape severing device, a norf mally inoperative countingdevice, means reber of steps, causing the actuating of saidV tapesevering device, and means for automatically restoring said countingdevice to its ,initial position upon the operation of said severingdevice.

3. In a telegraph printing machine, a normally inoperative countingdevice, means responsive to co-de signals for rendering said countingdevice operative, means for advancing the counting device one step foreach subsequent group of Vcode signals received and a control circuitcompleted by said counting device after it has been advanced apredetermined number of steps.

4f. In a telegraph printing machine, a normally inoperative countingdevice, means responsive to code signals for rendering said countingdevice operative, means for advancing the counting device one step foreach subsequent group of code signals received and means actuated bysaid counting device after it has been advanced a predetermined numberof steps for performing functions auxiliary to the main printingfunction of said machine.

5. In a telegraph printing machine, a normally inoperative countingdevice, means responsive to code signals for rendering said countingdevice operative, means for advancing the counting device one step foreach subsequent gro-up of code signals and a signal operated by saidcounting device after it has advanced a predetermined number of steps.

6. In a telegraph printing machine, a normally inoperative countingdevice, means responsive to code signals for rendering said countingdevice operative, means for advancing the counting device one step foreach subsequent group of code signals, means actuated by said countingdevice after it has been advanced a predetermined number of steps forperforming a function auxiliary to the main printing function of saidmachine, and means for restoring said counting device to inoperativecondition after said auxiliary function has been completed.

7. In a telegraph printing machine, a normally inoperative countingdevice, means responsive to code signals for rendering said countingdevice operative", means fior ad,- vancing the counting device one stepfor each subsequent group of code signals received, means actuated bysaid counting device, after it has been advanced a predetermined numberof steps, for performing afunction auxiliary to the main printingfunction of said machine, a signal and means for operating said signalafter said auxiliary function has been completed.

8. In a telegraph printing mechanism, a tape feedmechanism, a tapeadvanced by said tape feed mechanism past the printing position one stepfor each printing stroke, a tape severing device, means controlled bycode signals for determining the operation of said tape severing devicewhen a particu-1 lar portionofsaid tape is in printing position, saidtape severing device operating to cut the tape adjacent said particularportion after said portion has been advanced a predetermined distancebeyond the printing position by successive printing strokes.

9. In a telegraph printing mechanism, a tape feed mechanism, a tapeadvanced by said tape feed mechanism past the printing posi;

tion one step for each printing stroke, a tape engagingv devicepositioned to one side of side printing position in the path of saidtape, and means controlled by code signals for determining the operationof said tape engaging device when a particular part of the tape is inprinting' position, the operation of said tape engaging device beingdelayed until after said part of the tape has been advanced apredetermined distance beyond Vthe printing position by successiveprinting strokes.

l0. In a. tape telegraph printer, a printing mechanism, a platen, meansfor rotating said platen to advance the tape thereacross upon eachoperation of the printing mechanism, a

character counting device normally discon-v nected from said platen,means responsive to a code signal for connecting said counting deviceand platen whereby the counting device is operated in response toeachmovement of the platen, and a tape engaging member operated by saidcounting device after predetertheI platen is rotated through a minedarc.

11. In a tape telegraph printer, a printing mechanism, a platen, meansfor rotating said platen to advance the tape thereacross upon eachoperation of the printing mechanism, a character counting Vdevicenormally disconnected from vsaid platen, means responsiveto a codesignal for connecting said counting device and platen whereby thecounting device is operated in response to each movement of the platen,a tape engaging member operated by said counting device after the platenis rotated through a predetermined arc, and' means for disconnectingsaid counting device from the platen following the operation of saidtape engaging member.

12. In a tape telegraph printer, a printing mechanism, a platen, meansfor rotating said Y platen to'advance the tape thereacross upon by eachsucceeding cycle of the selecting'Y 35' each operation of the printingmechanism, a

character counting device normally inopera-y tive, means 'responsive toa code signal to cause said counting device to operate in step lWithsaid platen, meanscontiolled by said counting device in one positionthereof for performing a function auxiliary tothe normal printingoperation and a second means controlled by said counting device in adifferent position thereof for performing an additional function.

13. In a tape telegraph printer, a printing mechanism, a platen, meansfor rotating said platen to advance the tape thereacross upon eachoperation of the printing mechanism, a character counting devicenormally inoperative, means responsive to a code signal to cause saidcounting device to operate in step With said platen, a circuit.controlled by said counting devicein one position thereof for performinga function auxiliary to the normal printing operation and a secondcircuit controlled by said counting device in a different position forrendering the counting device inoperative and restoring it to itsinitial position.

14. In a printing telegraph machine, a selecting mechanism having adefinite cycle of operation, a normally inoperative controlv mechanism,means responsive to `a predetermined operation of said selectingmechanism for conditioning said control mechanism to respond tosaidselecting mechanism, Wheremechanism Will advance the controlmechanism along a predetermined path and means actuated by said controlmechanism after a predetermined number of said subsequent cycles havebeen completed.

15. In a printing telegraph machine, a selecting mechanism having adeiinite cycle of operation, a normally inoperative control mechanism,means responsive to a predeterv mined operation of the selectingmechanism for conditioning said control mechanism to respond to eachsucceeding cycle of the selecting mechanism and auxiliary means actuatedby said control mechanism after a plurality of said subsequent cycleshave been completed. Y

16. In a printing telegraph machine, a selecting mechanism having adefinite cycle of operation, a normally inoperative Vcontrol mechanism,means responsive to a predetermined operation of the selectingmechanism,

'Y for conditioning said control mechanism to respond to each succeedingcycle of the selecting mechanism, auxiliary means actuated by saidcontrol mechanism after a plurality of said subsequent cycles have beencompleted, and means for restoring said control mechanism to its normalinoperative conditionupon the operation ofy said auxiliary means. v

17. In a printing telegraph machine, a sepleted, means for restoringVsaid controlv mechanism toits normal inoperative condition upon theoperation of said auxiliary means, and separate means acting inresponseto additional cycles of said selecting mechanism to restore said controlmechanism to its normal inoperative condition in case said auxiliarymechanism fails to operate.

In testimony vvhereof We affix oursigna'- tures.

JAMES F. PORTER. GEORGE MARX. f

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